


Blood in the Cut

by monsterleadmehome



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: (not Ben or Rey), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bonnie & Clyde vibes (but with a better ending), Character Death, Daddy Kink, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, mentions of past sexual abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-06-24 09:52:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19721272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monsterleadmehome/pseuds/monsterleadmehome
Summary: “You wanna put that gun away, Rey? I know you’re not gonna shoot me.”She raises the gun again and cops a smirk with her cute little mouth. “How do you know I won’t?”“Well, the safety’s still on, for one—and secondly, your hand shakes every time you point it, so I’m guessing you’ve never even shot a gun before.”Ben Solo is just trying to leave his past behind, but when a young woman named Rey pulls a gun on him at the gas station, he gets so much more than he bargained for.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If you follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/monsterleadme), you may have noticed that I had an interesting dream the other day. This is the fic born of that dream. It's a little darker and more violent than a lot of my other stuff, but there's still going to be a HEA because I am weak. I don't expect this to be super long and I'm going with the muse, so I'm hoping for regular updates. Let me know what you think in the comments!
> 
> There's also an accompanying [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/vgh9a0am7jpmaeatolhx4dogf/playlist/52EHwyQj2D1O8r0c1F8C7g?si=U1-q_9xzS-2Sbf8NtaDmWA), because I'm extra.

Obscure country music drifts out of the speakers of the old, slightly rusty pickup truck as it winds around the dusty turns of the road. It’s the kind of music that used to be popular long before words like crossover and mainstream ever found their way into the idiom. This is how Ben Solo knows he is lost. Which is just fine with him, considering he has no particular destination.

He rolls the window down manually—it’s an old truck—and pops his elbow out into the breeze as he drives with one hand. The wind blows through his raven locks and when he smiles, he can feel the sunglasses on his face shift with the movement. _This is what freedom feels like_ , he thinks. At long last, he has successfully removed himself from his old life and no one is searching for him. He can drive through a million of these cookie cutter towns in this truck that he paid 3,000 dollars cash for and no one will ever know. He can dine at a million greasy spoons and play old forgotten songs on barely working jukeboxes.

Ben is a free man.

“Shit!” He looks down at the gas gauge only to realize it’s been a while since he last stopped. The sign he just passed tells him he is now in Endor, population 2,335. The speed limit goes lower and lower until it’s 35mph and he figures this must be the town center.

Quaint is almost too nice of a word to describe this place. It’s downright tiny, ramshackle. He spots a gas station/diner/mechanic all in one with a sign that says “Wicket’s.” It’s so far behind the times that he has to go inside and prepay with cash because the pumps don’t have credit card readers. Not that Ben carries credit cards anymore—off the grid means cash only. Something about this place gives him the heebie jeebies so he squeezes the handle even tighter, trying to will the gas to flow into his vehicle faster.

He hears her before he sees her—panting breath, converse thumping on the pavement, the slight jingle of loose change or jewelry. Just as he’s placing the pump back and closing the gas cap, she speaks. “Oi, you! Get in the car and drive.”

Ben turns and isn’t quite expecting what he sees—the girl with the London accent is young, 19 or 20 at most, hair done up in a weird three bun style with strands flying out all over. She is sweaty and disheveled and— _fuck_ , is that a smear of blood on her forehead? She is pointing a gun directly at his chest and her expression clearly conveys this isn’t a request. “Are you deaf? I said now!”

Despite all this, Ben thinks she is incredibly beautiful. His mouth has gone dry, but he finds it within himself to finally say, “Okay, okay.” He keeps his hands in the air as he walks around to the driver’s side and gets in.

She climbs in the passenger’s side and keeps the gun angled at him, not bothering to put on a seatbelt. “Go!” 

So he goes. He takes off in the direction he was planning on going and the girl doesn’t correct him. Her hand is shaking but she continues holding the gun, looking in the side mirror every few seconds, like she expects someone to show up there. “So, you got a name?” He’s not scared of her really—if he needed to, he could wrestle that weapon away from her before she could even fire a shot.

“Rey.” She relaxes the gun a little so it’s no longer pointing at him, but she still keeps a firm grip on it.

“You wanna put that gun away, Rey? I know you’re not gonna shoot me.”

She raises the gun again and cops a smirk with her cute little mouth. “How do you know I won’t?”

“Well, the safety’s still on, for one—and secondly, your hand shakes every time you point it, so I’m guessing you’ve never even shot a gun before.”

She frowns and grunts, putting the gun back down. “What are you, a police officer or something?”

“Ex-military. I know a thing or two about guns.” He leans over and gingerly takes the weapon from her. “Why don’t we put this in here for now?” He pops open the glove compartment and stuffs the weapon in there. As he straightens up, he passes very close to her face—Rey gives him a quizzical look, but her breath hitches. Ben clears his throat and returns his eyes to the road.

A few terse moments of silence pass. Then she turns to him. “What’s _your_ name?”

“Ben.” He’s not sure why, but he throws a lopsided grin her way. He was expecting her to be more belligerent, but she’s almost pleasant compared to the company he’s used to. They’ve left the town long behind by now and are back up to a cruising speed. “You haven’t given me any instructions on where to go…”

She looks a bit dazed. “Huh?”

“Typically, when you carjack someone, you have a destination in mind. You haven’t said a word.”

“Oh, right.” She brings down the visor to survey her appearance and starts using her own spit to clean the blood off her forehead. “I don’t care. Just keep driving. You can drop me somewhere in a few hours.”

He grabs her wrist as she swipes her dirty thumb over her forehead again. “Don’t do that. It’s going to get infected. I can look at it when we stop.”

Her eyes widen and he lets her go. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

“It’s obvious you’re running from someone, Rey. Someone bad. Am I right?”

She nods, tears welling up in her eyes and something in Ben’s chest constricts. He really doesn’t need this right now. People, connections—they only make you weak. And Rey could easily become a weakness for him. “It’s his gun. I knocked him out and stole it.”

Ben looks over at her now, the road ahead stretching on with no one around for miles. He can clearly see bruises around her wrists, her upper arms, and one that looks nearly healed under her right eye. “You have anything with you?” He tries not to sound overly concerned for the girl who had just held him at gunpoint, but there’s something about her that has drawn him in.

“About thirty-four dollars in my pocket, but that’s it. Not even a change of underwear.” She shrugs and starts picking at her cuticles for something to do. “I’m alive at least.”

“Fuck. Okay—” he pauses, knowing he’s going to regret this “—You can travel with me for a bit, if you want. I can offer you the passenger seat and space in a hotel room, but you’ll have to figure the rest out. I’ll try to get you as far from him as possible, but I’m really not looking for trouble.”

“Really?” Her face lights up, and he knows he wouldn’t have been able to resist anyway. She’s like kryptonite. “Thank you, Ben.” She visibly relaxes somewhat, as if she’s decided to trust him for now.

His responding grumble sounds only marginally like ‘welcome.’

* * *

After a quick stop at a Dollar General to grab some supplies, they have to stop for gas again. Ben follows Rey into the bathroom to look at her cut. He cleans it with hydrogen peroxide, chuckling a little when she hisses from the pain. She is tough and strong, but everyone hates getting their wounds cleaned by someone else. “If you weren’t trying to make a getaway, I’d say this needs a stitch or two, but since we don’t have time for that—” he pulls a butterfly bandage out of the box and stretches it over the small gash in her head. “Hopefully that’ll do it.”

“You’re really good at this,” she mumbles. Their eyes meet and he has to look away before he starts thinking improper things about this girl who basically forced him into rescuing her. 

“Yeah, well… I’ve seen a lot of injuries. You learn or you die.” He leaves her to finish cleaning up and change in peace.

When Rey comes out of the bathroom, he has the truck pulled up to the door so she can jump right in. She looks like a whole new person. All the dirt and blood is gone from her face, she wears a clean black t-shirt with her ripped jeans, and she has redone her hair so all the flyaway pieces are back in three neat buns. He’s never seen anyone wear their hair like that, but it suits her. “Feel better?”

“As better as I can right now—thanks to you.”

Ben grins as they take off again. He’s not sure where this easy camaraderie is coming from, but it’s much preferable to her pointing a weapon at him. “Not like I had much of a choice,” he quips.

“No I don’t suppose you did.” She laughs—not very loudly and not for long, but he thinks he’d like to hear it again.

Every so often, he looks in the rearview, just to check that they’re not being followed. He thinks he saw a black SUV pull out after them back at the gas station, but he hasn’t seen it since. Could just be a coincidence, but he doesn’t want to take chances with Rey. She’s lightly snoozing now, curled against the window. Who is she running from? An abusive boyfriend? An overbearing father? A nameless attacker who would’ve done unspeakable things to her? 

Whoever it was, he vows they won’t be able to touch her. A fierce protectiveness wells up in Ben—something he hasn’t felt in a very long time, if ever. It’s dark now, the rorschach sky all ink black with milky blotches of clouds. His stomach rumbles, reminding him that they skipped dinner in an effort to put more miles behind them. So when he spots the sign for the next exit that says there’s a motel, he gets in the right lane. They could both use a good night’s rest.

Rey wakes at the first red light. “Where are we?”

“Not sure the town name, but there’s a motel here. Figured we could both use some decent sleep—maybe some food.”

She looks around, concerned. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“We’ve been on the road all day, Rey. I’ve kept an eye on the rear view, and I don’t think anyone’s been following us.” When she still doesn’t say anything, he adds, “I’ll bring the gun in with us.”

“Okay. Yeah, okay. Sleep sounds good.”

He frowns. Whoever she got away from must be really bad for her to trust a complete stranger like this. He stops at a drive-thru for some greasy shit they might regret later. Then at the motel, Ben pays for one room with two double beds and asks the young man behind the counter for a couple extra pillows. Motel pillows are notoriously flat and he doesn’t want to wake up with a crick in his neck.

“I get my own bed?” Rey throws her new backpack on the bed furthest from the window and turns to face him.

“Of course. You didn’t think I’d make you share with me, did you?”

Something in her expression makes him think—yes, that’s exactly what she thought and his heart breaks a little more. “I guess I just assumed you want something for helping.”

Before he can figure out what she’s saying, she’s kneeling in front of him and unbuckling his belt. Ben is so dumbstruck, he just watches for a moment, spellbound. She’s got his zipper all the way down and is reaching for him when he shakes off the stupor. “Rey, what are you doing?”

“Thanking you.” 

She reaches for him again, but he grabs her hand, stopping her before she can touch his half hard cock. “Stop. You don’t have to do that.”

“It’s okay. I don’t mind.” Her expression is guarded but he can tell she’s acting out of some kind of obligation instead of lust. 

“But I do. I don’t want you to do that.” He pushes her hand away and zips himself back up, sitting down on the edge of the bed opposite hers. 

“What? Am I not pretty enough?” Her face is almost a pout now. 

He shakes his head. “Jesus, Rey. That’s not it at _all_. How old are you, anyway?”

“Nineteen, almost twenty. No one’s ever cared before.” It occurs to him now that this isn’t the first time she’s ‘thanked’ someone this way. 

“Well I care, okay? I’m ten years older than you—doesn’t that bother you?”

“Should it? I’ve had older. At least you’re young and attractive…”

Ben can feel his ears heating up from her compliment. Hopefully she can’t see them beneath all his hair. He clears his throat. “Still, I’m helping you because I want to. Please don’t feel obligated to repay me—at least not like that.” He rises and crosses the room, looking back to find her watching him. “I’m gonna take a shower. Try to get some rest.”

She nods but doesn’t move. 

Under the spray of the water, he turns it all the way to cold. It had taken more willpower than he cares to admit to refuse a blowjob from his pretty new companion. The thought of her pink mouth wrapped around his dick was enough to make him nearly come right then. _It’s been too fucking long_. 

Still, despite all his flaws, he knows he’s not the type to take advantage of someone like that—someone he barely knows. Whatever life she’s led thus far, it hasn’t been pretty. He stays under the cold water until he’s flaccid again, biting down the frustration. 

When he returns, Rey is buried beneath the covers apparently fast asleep. He sighs and gets into the other bed, checking the nightstand drawer to see the gun safely stowed away for now. 

* * *

The musty faint smell of a carpet that was installed before the room was turned into a non-smoking one reminds Ben where he is as he blinks into the sliver of sunlight that has broken in through the curtains. He hasn’t had a home in a long time, but he can usually tell by the scent how expensive the place he’s staying is—and this place is on the lower end of the spectrum.

Still, the mattress is halfway decent and with three of the lumpy pillows stacked together, he was able to sleep more than four hours, which is good for him. He stretches a bit, knowing it’s still early and not sure how late Rey likes to sleep in. As he rolls over to check on her, his eyes widen. She’s not there. “Rey?”

He shoots out of bed and hurries over to the bathroom, just to see. He doesn’t hear the water running, and the door is cracked. He pushes it all the way open—nothing. Maybe she just went to get ice or to the soda machine. He quickly tugs on a shirt and shoes, but when he checks for the gun to take it with him, it’s gone, too. “Shit!”

Why would she just leave? He grabs his jeans from the day before to find his wallet and keys are there, so she didn’t steal the car. Maybe she just wanted protection while she went to grab a drink or food. He decides to canvas the motel and surrounding area before he freaks out—it’s not like she’s his responsibility, anyway. Why should he care?

_Dammit, Rey. Where did you go?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buckle up folks, it gets bloody and smutty this chapter. Maybe throw on the [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/vgh9a0am7jpmaeatolhx4dogf/playlist/52EHwyQj2D1O8r0c1F8C7g?si=fy4A3hiCT7Wbpa8ANJCwUg) while you read if you feel so inclined.

The crisp morning air makes Ben’s nose tingle. There are a lot of pine trees in the area, filling his nostrils with their aroma. He checks the whole veranda of the second floor: no Rey. Then he heads down to the first floor to check. He’s only just stepped off the last stair when he sees her, cutting through the parking lot with a plastic bag slung over her arm. He purposely strides over to her, anger rising up within. “Where the fuck have you been?”

“I went to grab some snacks from the convenience store!”

“With the gun?” he snarls.

“I needed protection!”

“You don’t even know how to use it!” He grabs her by the arm and pulls her along. “Come on, we need to pack up and go.”

She wriggles out of his grasp. “I can walk on my own, thanks.”

“Rey—I was  _ worried _ . I don’t know who this guy is you’re running from, and I thought maybe he’d found you.”

Her face falls for a second, like she can’t believe he’d actually care. “Oh.”

They make it back into the room. “I thought maybe you’d taken the car and left me here.” He runs a hand through his messy hair. He hadn’t bothered doing anything with it in his panic. “Why didn’t you take the car?”

“I thought about it, but—” she sighs, sitting down on the bed “—I don’t have a license, and if I got pulled over, I don’t think that would go over well.”

“Oh, okay.” He throws his clothes from last night into his backpack and looks around the room. “I gotta take a piss, but we should probably leave after that. Try not to run off?”

She smiles up at him. “Promise.” In a show of good faith, she hands him the gun. “It’s better off with you, anyway.”

Ben nods and stashes it in the waistband of his jeans before going into the bathroom. He’s only there for a minute before he hears a knock at the door, a loud thump, then the sound of Rey’s sharp squeal. He quickly tucks himself back in and runs towards the door. Out on the veranda, a freakishly tall man—taller than Ben at 6 feet, 3 inches—is hauling Rey towards the stairs. He is bald, pockmarked, and has the creepiest blue eyes Ben has ever seen.

She’s struggling but he has her in a firm hold. The man is muttering at her, but Ben can only hear snippets: 

“—fucking cunt—”

“—things I’ll do—”

“—murderous bitch—”

“STOP!” he yells, loud enough for them to hear. He has the gun out, ready to pull the trigger on this hideous beast. “Back in the room.” He cocks his head, motioning for them to go back the way they came.

The beast man speaks. “I don’t know what she’s told you, boy, but I can assure you it’s all lies.”

“I said— _ get _ in the  _ fucking _ room.” Ben will not be swayed by this monster of a man.

Begrudgingly, the man pushes Rey back into the room. She immediately runs into the corner behind the bed she’s slept in. “Have it your way,” he sneers.

Ben follows them inside but no sooner has he shut the door behind him than the man sucker punches him, the blow to his mouth knocking him off balance. He spits out a glob if blood and in his struggle to stay upright, the gun falls out of his hand and skitters underneath the bed.

“Snoke, stop!” Rey yells from across the room. He thinks Snoke is a fitting name for this sicko.

Ben shakes off the hit and comes for Snoke with an uppercut, which the taller man easily blocks. He uses the distraction to kick at his left kneecap, sending him crashing to the floor, kneeling before Ben. From this vantage point, it’s easier for Ben to let all his pent up rage flow through him and into the punches he directs at Snoke’s misshapen head.

Snoke dodges the first blow, but is too slow to dodge the second. Ben’s fist connects with his eyebrow, leaving a small gash behind. He glances at Rey, who is watching on with abject terror at the fight before her. He cannot let this fucker win—he cannot let her be taken. The blood from Snoke’s cut drips down his face and something in Ben snaps.

He snarls and knocks the man to the ground with such force, he can feel the resounding thud. Ben is astride Snoke now, the older man trying and failing to fight him off. He launches blow after blow to Snoke’s face—his nose, his mouth, everywhere. A sickening  _ crunch _ can be heard after Ben deals a particularly powerful punch to the bastard’s cheekbone. Still he rages on, the squelching sounds of blood and battered flesh buzzing in his ears. 

Blood covers Ben’s hands, his knuckles raw, but he can’t make himself stop. Snoke is barely holding onto consciousness now, his voice feeble as he says, “She’s not worth it.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” he counters as he wraps his hands around Snoke’s neck. Somewhere in the back of his mind is a voice telling him to stop before this goes too far, that he can call the authorities—but no, it needs to be over. He squeezes and squeezes until the man’s icy blue eyes roll back and all his limbs go limp.

Ben stares at Snoke, now completely still. He lets out the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding and rises from his position. He checks for a pulse. 

Rey shuffles forward ever so slightly. “Is he—?”

“Dead, yeah.” His voice is flat.

Her shoulders slump forward as if relieved, and she pads after him as he goes to wash his hands in the motel sink. Ben turns on the tap and watches as the pink water swirls in the bottom.  _ So. Much. Blood _ .

“Here, let me.” Rey takes his hands and gently rubs them, helping to get more of the blood off. She applies soap, and after that, hydrogen peroxide from their kit. She cleans the blood from his mouth, where Snoke had first hit him. Her thumb rests gingerly on his bottom lip.

Their eyes connect, his fiery brown against her green-hazel. Her calloused fingers against his stubble feel so right, and he’s spurred on by the magnitude of what’s just happened.  _ Fuck being the good guy _ . Ben grabs her by the back of the head and roughly presses his lips to hers. She tastes just as good as he’s been imagining, her lips soft and supple. 

Rey moans and he takes advantage of the opportunity, slipping his tongue inside her mouth. The copper tang of his own blood mixes with her saliva and it’s unexpectedly arousing. Her hands find their way to his hair and she grabs a fistful. He pulls back to look at her. She smirks. “I thought you didn’t want me.”

“God, Rey—I never said that. I just didn’t want you to feel like you owed me anything.” He nips at her neck, sucking a bruise into her delicate skin. He drags his teeth from her neck up to her ear. “Tell me you want this.”

She grips him tighter and leans in to whisper. “I want you to fuck me, Ben.”

Her voice sets off the animal inside and he quickly pulls up her shirt over her head. She isn’t wearing a bra and he’s rewarded with the sight of her perky breasts, nipples already hardened. He needs just a taste of her skin and sucks one of her plump peaks into his mouth. She whimpers and tangles her fingers in his hair again.

Ben thinks he’s the most hard he’s ever been as he moves down her body, kissing and teasing her as he goes. Her noises only encourage him to continue. He unbuttons her jeans and forcefully yanks them down along with her panties so she is bare to him. “You’re so fucking beautiful,” he mumbles as he shoves his own pants to the floor. It should bother him more that there’s a dead body less than 6 feet from where they’re standing—that there’s blood still on his shirt—but it doesn’t. If anything it makes him feel more alive.

He rips off the bloodstained shirt and gasps as Rey’s hands immediately start roaming his chest. “Are you even real?” she asks, almost to herself. He doesn’t miss the way her eyes wander to his stiff cock.

“Does this feel real?” He brings his hands to her ass and grabs her hard, lifting her onto the counter beside the sink. Then he spreads her legs and sinks a finger into her heat.

“Fuck.” Her eyes squeeze shut.

“So wet—” he cuts himself off by kissing her again as his fingers play with her swollen clit. He swirls and strokes along her soaked folds before plunging into her entrance. She pants into his mouth when he pulls back slightly to grab his weeping cock. He spreads her juices over his shaft before lining himself up. “Are you—?”

“IUD. Go for it.” Then she’s digging her fingernails into his back as he slides in, desperate sounds escaping both of them. “Oh god!”

He builds up a rhythm quickly, watching her ass move in the mirror as he pounds into her. He knows he won’t last long—she’s so tight, so wet, so warm. Ben knows it’s been a long time, but he can’t remember sex ever feeling this good before. Maybe that says something sick about him—or maybe it’s just  _ her _ . “Rey,” he moans, fucking her as hard and rough as he can.

She takes everything he gives her, scratching her nails down his back. It feels like she might be drawing blood, but the pain mixes with the pleasure and he can’t find it in himself to care. “Ben,” she grunts. Her hips roll against him, meeting him thrust for thrust. 

He feels her flutter around him, and he brings his hand back down to her clit, stroking fervently to get her there faster. His lips hover over the shell of her ear. “Come for me, Rey.”

She gasps a huge intake of air, her heels digging into his upper thighs as she spasms around him. Her fingers grip him even harder, her moans pepper a staccato into the room. She breathes his name over and over as the waves continue. Her muscles clench him so tightly, he can’t help but follow—his hips stutter and he suddenly stills, pumping her full of his seed.

He moves his hands to caress her face, swiping the sweaty tendrils of hair back. In a gesture almost too tender for what they’ve just done, he kisses her temple. His eyes find hers again. “That was—”

“Wow. Just wow. I’ve never—I mean—”

“What? Was that okay?”  _ Shit _ . He just fucked this so girl hard, and he barely knows her. What if he’d gone too far?

She is still trying to recover her breath. “More than okay. I just—I’ve never had an orgasm before. I didn’t know that’s what it was like.” She looks a bit sheepish and it’s goddamn adorable.

Ben can’t help the way his eyebrows raise, but then he is kissing her—again and again. He’s now soft but still inside her, and he can feel the little pulses like aftershocks as he pulls out. “Never?”

She shakes her head. “It’s never really been about me before.”

They don’t have time to unpack all of that right now. There’s still a dead body in the room. “Rey, I need you to do something. Can you take a cloth and rub down any surfaces we might’ve touched?”

She nods, and he helps her down off the counter. There’s a little puddle of their fluids left behind. He wipes it up with some tissues. They both dress quickly, and Ben drags Snoke’s corpse into the bathroom, hoisting him into the tub as Rey wipes down all the surfaces. He gives the body one last look. It’s not the first life he’s taken, but it’s been a long time since he’s had to deal with fallout like this. And he’s never done it without backup. 

At least he has Rey.

* * *

They’re back on the road as soon as the room has been thoroughly cleaned. Ben throws the trash into the back of the truck and 2 hours later they stop in a field to burn the evidence. If he had more time, he could’ve done something with the body—but hopefully no one will notice or care much that someone like Snoke is dead.

“So what now?” Rey asks as they watch the smoke unfurl into the azure sky. It’s a markedly more beautiful day than the day before. 

“We keep moving.” He says it like it’s obvious, and maybe it should be—they’re in this together. He has killed for her, then put his come deep inside her while the corpse was still in the room. Surely that means they belong to each other now.

Rey nods and hops back into the truck. She looks right at home, like she belongs here, with him. Her hair is in pigtail braids and she’s wearing one of his old t-shirts, a heather gray number with a faded Dalí melting clock on the front. It’s way too big on her, so she’s knotted it at the waist, revealing a small triangle of golden skin. He already wants to ravage her again.

Ben pokes at the ashes of the fire to make sure everything has been incinerated properly. Then he gets back in the car and they take off. The open road seems friendlier now that they aren’t running from a psychopath. He thinks he should feel guiltier, having ended someone’s life today—but the truth is, he thinks he’d do much more for this girl—and that’s a terrifying thought. “Tell me something, Rey.”

Her eyes are brighter now. “Like what?”

“Anything. I need you to take my mind off what’s happened today—not the sex, that part was great.”

“Oh you mean the part where you saved my life?”

He smiles. She’s a regular spin doctor. “Yeah, that.”

Her hand drifts over and pats his thigh. “Sure.” She launches into a story about growing up in the UK. She’s from London, like he had guessed. She lived with her deadbeat parents until the age of 8 when they couldn’t afford to keep her anymore, always pissing away their money on alcohol and drugs. She got passed around group homes for awhile until she was shipped off to live with her uncle in the States at age 12. 

Ben’s heart breaks a little more at the thought of anyone not wanting her, not putting her first. She doesn’t continue the story, but he guesses it hadn’t been any better for her over here than it was over there. 

“I guess that wasn’t really what you wanted to hear.” She’s fiddling with the end of one of her braids.

“No, it worked. Thanks.” He reaches over and takes her hand in his. She’s not small or fragile by any means, but he just dwarfs her in every way. He likes the way his hand completely engulfs hers.  _ I can protect you, Rey _ .

* * *

They drive for hours before stopping at a diner. It’s nice to not have to eat something in the car for a change. He tells her to order anything she wants and is surprised by her appetite—she’s a fan of breakfast for dinner and gets pancakes, eggs, hash browns and bacon. She also orders a coffee, and he watches with a smile as she loads it with cream and sugar.

“What?” Rey laughs around a bite of pancake.

“Nothing, I just find you insanely cute when you’re stuffing your face.” And he does. He wants to make sure she never has to go hungry again.

Pink stains her cheeks as she swallows. “Oh.” She looks uncomfortable for a moment but then tries to smile at him.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No. I’m just not used to people saying things like that.” She wipes her hands with a napkin.

“Well, get used to it.” He winks and takes a bite of his burger. 

They finish eating and Ben pays the bill. As they’re getting ready to leave, the waitress is flipping channels on the old TV up by the front counter. A news broadcast comes on. 

“The body of a US Marshal who had been beaten and strangled to death was discovered in a motel room in Supremacy Heights today. Authorities have no leads on a suspect, but the Marshal had been transporting a suspect in another case at the time of his murder. That suspect is still at large. Investigators are warning citizens to be on the lookout for Rey Johnson, believed to be armed and dangerous, wanted in conjunction with the death of an Ohio man. If you have any information, please call the number on the screen.”

Ben’s grip on Rey’s arm grows tighter as an image of her is flashed on the screen. He turns without a word and directs them out of the diner as quickly as possible. She grunts but says nothing, letting him pull her along to the truck.

Once inside, he guns it out of the parking lot and hits the road. It’s only once they’re clear of the lights from the diner that he growls, “Explain. Now.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter we get Rey POV- a little bit of backstory, and a lot of filth. You've been warned. 
> 
> Also daddy kink has been added at the behest of [Lovesbitca8](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovesBitca8/pseuds/LovesBitca8). You're welcome.
> 
> CW: mentions of past sexual abuse/non-con. Tags have been updated accordingly. It's in the first passage but if you'd like to skip, stop at **"He was _terrible_..."** and pick back up with **"Ben pulls over to the side of the road."** I have bolded the lines in the story as well.

“Explain. Now.” His voice is firm and demanding. 

Rey gulps, having dreaded this moment since she first realized Ben might become an ally and not just a vehicle to get her to the next town. “It’s complicated.”

“Is it, Rey? Because it seems to me like you’re a wanted criminal, and I just fucking murdered a US Marshal for you!” His anger is simmering, but contained. She knows now what he looks like when he loses control, and this is nowhere close. 

“He was still a bad man, Ben. You saw my bruises, right? That was only the surface. He’d been pursuing me for two years, and I had managed to stay one step ahead—but when he caught me, he didn’t want to just extradite me to Ohio. He wanted to torture me first. Make it hurt for all the time I’d made him work for it.” She’s crying now, and she doesn’t want him to think they’re pity tears. She’s not as good of an actress as people like to think.

“Okay, so what did you do?” He’s calmed down a little, his death grip on the steering wheel relaxing a bit. The sun has just dipped below the horizon and the road ahead is bathed in an orange and navy haze.

“Well, remember how I told you I lived with my uncle when I came to the States?” She really doesn’t want to relive these memories—she’s worked so hard to put this all behind her. But Ben is… not what she expected. She feels a kinship with him that she’s never felt before—and she owes him the truth.

“Yeah—”

**“He was** _ **terrible** _ . A truly awful person. He barely fed me, kept me in the worst conditions, and as soon as I was old enough—he had me _service_ men to settle his debts.”

“You mean—” he looks over at her, and she pleads with her eyes to not make her give him the sordid details.

She nods, sniffling and wiping at her nose with her hand.

“Oh, Rey,” he starts. His hand comes across to touch her, but she jerks away.

“I learned to deal with it, use it to my advantage—but I was always waiting for an opportunity. One night, he passed out drunk in his chair and I saw my chance.”

**Ben pulls over to the side of the road**. There’s been no other cars for at least 30 minutes. “What did you do?”

She takes a deep breath. “I-I burned down the house with him inside!” The tears start as soon as she yells her confession and Ben doesn’t hesitate—he pulls her close, muffling the sound with his chest. Rey feels safe with him, warm, protected. It’s okay if he knows her darkest deeds, because he’s shared in them now, hasn’t he? 

“Hey, it’s okay.” It’s not, and he probably knows that—but he’s doing his best to comfort her and she accepts it. For maybe the first time in her life, she accepts comfort from a man. Ben pulls back and looks at her. The compassion in his eyes is something she’s not used to seeing. It throws her off but also unravels something deep inside her. “You did what you had to—to get away. I understand.”

Rey sniffs again and nods. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before. I just didn’t think you’d help me if you knew.”

He draws her back in to his warm, wide chest and just holds her. He doesn’t try to say anything, because there’s not much to say. They’re both criminals here. After what feels like forever, he says, “You do realize this means we’re going to have to be more careful now.”

He’s right. _Fuck_ , she made this way harder than it had to be. She should’ve let him drop her off somewhere—not shackled herself to him, certainly not let him come inside of her. “I’m sorry, Ben. I shouldn’t have dragged you into this. It wasn’t your fight.” The guilt is sudden and crushing. She’s relied on only herself for years, why did she pick now to trust someone?

“No, that’s not—Rey, I make my own choices. I chose to help you, and even before I knew his job, I could tell Snoke was a bad guy. I’ve worked with guys like him before. And just so we’re clear: he’s _not_ the first person I’ve killed.”

Right. He said he was ex-military. And he’s built like a fridge. “Oh,” is all she manages to say.

“We better get back on the road. It’s only a matter of time before this hits national news and I’d like to be long gone by then.”

Rey nods and shifts back over to her side. “Good idea.”

Ben grabs her hand quickly and kisses her knuckles. “We’re a team now, you and me. I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.”

* * *

They drive through the night instead of stopping at a hotel. Ben insists he doesn’t sleep much anyway, so it’s fine. Rey is skeptical, but she keeps an eye on him. He really is one of the most interesting people she’s ever met—his taciturn demeanor, fierce protectiveness, not to mention his looks. She wasn’t sure at first when she spotted him in that faded green and beige pickup. Her first instinct was that he might be a serial killer, but then she got up close and saw his deep brown eyes and decided instantly that she could trust him—or at least rely on him for a few hundred miles. 

She’s wound up with so much more than she bargained for.

_He really is beautiful_ , she thinks as they’re stopped in the hazy light of a gas station. He wears 2am well—almond eyes a little sleepy, large nose twitching in the chill of the night air. It’s making her feel things she never intended. He had made her stay in the car while he went in, prepaid, and made them both coffee. She sips it now, creamy and sweet. He already knows how she likes it, just from watching her over dinner.

“Why did you get me coffee, am I not allowed to sleep either?” She hums in delight over another sip. It’s really hit or miss with gas stations, but this one—this one makes good coffee.

He snorts. “Someone has to keep me up.”

“That can be arranged.” She flips through radio stations until she finds a song she knows, which just happens to be “Teenage Dream” and starts singing along. Her voice is sweet and melodic, but she intentionally tries to be annoying—just to test her limits with Ben. 

He lets her carry on for about 30 seconds before turning it off. “Well, that’s enough of that.”

“Fine. _Asshole_. I was just trying to lighten the mood.” But it’s hard to do—especially with what they’ve both been through. All she really wants is a comfy bed and to sleep for a thousand years.

They wind up talking some more, about all kinds of things—their favorite books, movies, subject in school. She’s impressed that he went to college and asks about his studies. She would’ve liked to go, but she was already on the run before finishing high school. He admits that if he hadn’t continued on in his military career, he might have wanted to teach.

“I can see that—you’d be a good teacher.”

He shrugs. “Not that I’ll ever get the chance now.”

Rey studies him for a moment. The moonlight casts a thin strip of light across his face, bisecting the right side. Her voice gets low. “You could teach me things.”

Ben steals a glance at her, smirking. “Yeah? You need a teacher?”

She feels more bold now, the heat creeping up her spine. “For _so_ many things.”

It’s 4am now and neither of them have slept. She watches his face as he comes to a decision. In about a half a mile there’s an open field that has forest all along the edge. He pulls off and drives toward the back of the field just before the treeline. He parks the truck and turns it off. “Out of the car, Rey.”

She slowly gets out to see Ben already fumbling in the bed of the truck. “What are we—oh.”

He’s laid out a couple blankets on the flat surface and is sitting there waiting for her. He offers her a hand. “Join me.”

She’s not sure why she feels hesitant. He’s already proven to be the most trustworthy man she’s ever known. She takes his hand and lets him pull her into the truck bed. She stumbles and falls on top of him. “Sorry,” she mumbles. But then she can’t say anymore as he’s kissing her breathless.

Rey’s never been kissed like this—like he’s afraid she’ll disappear at any moment. He runs his tongue over her bottom lip before dipping inside. His hands creep up her back, under her shirt. He takes his time, savoring her. It makes her feel cherished, which is something new for her. She sighs as he makes his way down her neck, nipping and sucking at her delicate skin. Her fingers wind through his impossibly soft hair.

“Here’s your first lesson,” he breathes against her chest. He peels off her t-shirt and starts in on her breasts. He releases her with a pop to continue, “It’s about how to accept pleasure.”

Ben lays her down on the blanket, wriggling her jeans off. She smiles coyly at him while he hooks his fingers into her panties and drags them down. He starts kissing up the length of her leg, and Rey eyes him curiously, wondering exactly where he’s going with this until his mouth sucks on her inner thigh. “Ben, what are you—”

“You told me you’d never come before. So I’m assuming no one has ever done this for you.” And with that he licks a hot stripe up her center.

Rey moans, her toes already starting to curl. No, no one has ever done this for her. She tries not to think about her past sexual experiences, because in all honesty—none of them were ever very enjoyable. Even once she got out and was on her own, she’d only ever had a few interactions, and she just assumed that boys were all about their own gratification. Maybe that’s the difference, because Ben is definitely a _man_ and puts all the others to shame. “You don’t… have to,” she manages to pant as he goes to town on her pussy.

Ben looks up and gives her a stern gaze. “Now, now. How are you going to learn otherwise? Lie back and take it. Be a good girl for me, okay?”

He licks her again, swirling his tongue around her clit and _fuck_ , it feels so good she’s starting to go a little fuzzy in the head. “I promise—I can be a good girl… _Daddy_.” She doesn’t know where that came from. It just feels so natural, rolling off her tongue. A shrink would have a field day with her.

He stills for a moment and looks at her again. _Oh shit_ , she thinks. _I’ve ruined it._ “‘Daddy’, eh? I think I like the sound of that. Does that mean I get to punish you if you misbehave?”

Oh—oh _fuck_ , he likes it. She can feel herself growing even wetter as Ben starts dragging his fingers through her folds before returning his tongue to her flesh. “Yes, Daddy,” she grunts.

“Mmm,” he hums into her core, the vibrations sending pleasure rippling through her. She’s already close—she thinks. He lifts off of her again. “Now no more interruptions. I want to see how many times I can make you come.” As soon as he says that, he plunges a finger inside her, still using his mouth on her sensitive bundle of nerves.

He uses different patterns as he licks her—side to side, up and down, an almost tapping rhythm. All the while his finger thrusts inside of her. He adds another and crooks them slightly brushing against her inner wall and Rey writhes, unable to control her movements. Ben has to use his other hand to press her down slightly so he can keep his mouth where he wants it.

Her first orgasm breaks over her with a wail, and she feels tears prick her eyes from the sheer force of it. He doesn’t let up, his fingers still driving inside of her even as her muscles clench them tight. “Fuck,” she moans.

“What do you want, Rey? What does my good girl want?”

“More, Daddy!” She’s stopped questioning where all this is coming from and just lets herself bask in the glory of his talented tongue. It only bothers her slightly that he must have learned how to do this on someone else, and that he’s not hers alone. Maybe more than slightly. _Mine_ , her mind screams.

Ben removes his fingers momentarily, dragging her body closer to him so he can get a better angle. Then he’s exploring her entrance with his tongue while his nose nuzzles her swollen bud, faintly oversensitive from one orgasm. Her noises become constant, her throat going dry from the vocalization, but she can’t help it—he’s making her feel things she’s never felt before.

When he pulls his face up, the cool night air hits her pussy and she’s starting to crave his warmth when he slaps her—right on her clit. It tingles throughout her body and her muscles almost seize with the surprise. She gasps. 

“You like that?” he asks before slapping her again, not waiting for an answer.

Her muscles are already fluttering, so when he dives back in, his fingers plunging deep, she screams. He sucks on her swollen bud _hard_ and everything goes slack, a flash of white behind her eyes as she comes again. He’s still fucking her with his fingers as she falls from the high, and she whispers, “No more. Please.”

“No more, baby? Okay. I’m gonna fuck you now, then.” He flips her over roughly while he pulls down his pants. 

Rey’s face is smushed into the blanket and she can feel Ben position her hips before he slides into her. She’s well prepared after all his previous attention, but her cunt still has to stretch to accommodate him and the burn is… exquisite. She can feel every inch of him as he slams into her again, and again, all keyed up from eating her out.

“You take me so well, baby. You like being full of Daddy’s cock?” He’s panting as he speaks, like he can’t fully catch his breath.

“Y-yes!” She stammers, turning her head so she can see him. His hair has fallen in his face, sweat dripping down in little beads onto her back. He’s fucking her with wild abandon, and Rey thinks this is the closest she’s ever been to another person.

She thinks he’ll just keep pounding her until he comes, the friction already feeling so good inside—but then he’s leaning over her, kissing down her spine as his hand snakes underneath her, over her belly to rub at her clit again. “You’re so perfect, Rey. I know you’ve got one more in you. You can come for me again.”

“No,” she mumbles, shaking her head against the blanket. She’s so sweaty and sore and sensitive.

“You can, baby. Come for me.” He says it like a command and her brain must short circuit because before she knows it, she’s coming again, all over his cock. She can feel a gush of fluid between them, and he moans, picking up the pace of his thrusts as her muscles contract around him. “That’s my good girl.”

His fingers press into her hips as he fucks her even faster, chasing his own release. She hears the slap of skin one, two, three more times before he slows and holds onto her, filling her with his sticky spend. Rey can feel it dripping down as he pulls out, but then he’s wiping her clean, turning her over, and cradling her to his chest.

“How are you even real?” She whispers into his sweat dampened skin. She can hear his heartbeat and it’s oddly soothing.

“Shh, get some rest. We’ll get back on the road in a few hours.” He kisses her head before tucking it under his chin.

Rey feels so safe and wanted right now that she drifts off within minutes. Her last thought before she succumbs is, _I think I could love you_.

* * *

All too soon, Ben is shaking her awake. “Come on, Rey. We should get moving.”

She rubs the sleep out of her eyes and grabs around for her clothes. The sun isn’t quite up yet, but she can see the magenta of the sunrise bleeding into the blue-black of the night. Ben probably wants to be on the road before it’s fully light out, which is a good idea in her book. As she climbs in next to him, she leans over and kisses his cheek.

He turns to her, surprised, but a smile finds it way to his face. “What was that for?”

“Thank you—for last night. For everything, really. I’m not used to trusting people, or relying on them, or having them care about me.” She shrugs and buckles her seatbelt.

Ben gives her a funny look, but his voice is soft when he says, “You’re welcome.”

They’ve been on the road for an hour when he decides it’s time for coffee. As he pulls into the gas station, a phone starts ringing. His eyes widen. Rey gets scared. “I didn’t know you had a phone.”

“It’s a burner. No one has this number—it’s supposed to be for emergencies.” He takes the flip phone from his pocket, eyeing the number before answering. “Hello?”

Rey watches as all the blood drains from his face. This can’t be good.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had hoped to post this a bit sooner, but life... amirite? Anyway, note the updated chapter count. Back to Ben POV this chapter.

Ben bought his burner phone for emergencies. He gets a new one every month or so, just in case. He’s enjoying himself, thinking about the coffee he’s going to drink and how he can still taste a little of Rey’s pussy if he concentrates hard enough when it starts ringing.  _ Fuck _ . There’s really only one person it can be, and if she’s managed to track him down, things do not look good for them. “Hello?”

“Benjamin! Oh thank god.” Leia Organa is the director of some government agency whose name has been redacted so many times Ben isn’t even sure what it’s actually called anymore.

“Mother, how did you get this number?” He’s trying to keep his voice as calm as possible for Rey’s sake, but he would really like to punch something right about now.

“You know I have my ways, but let’s just say it was a dumb mistake to buy a burner phone in Coruscant.” Shit, he knew that was a bad call. “Anyway, I managed to find surveillance footage of you and this wanted criminal, Rey Johnson—and now I’m cleaning up the body of a US Marshal in a cheap motel room with no fingerprints left behind whatsoever?  _ What _ have you gotten involved with, Benjamin?”

“It’s really none of your concern. I’m  _ handling _ it.” He grits his teeth.

“Oh really? This is you handling it? You’re really doing a bang up job there, Benny boy. You could have at least burned the body, saved me this trouble. Now I’m going to have to send people after you—you know that, right?”

“There wasn’t time, and you don’t  _ have _ to send anyone after me. Not unless you want them back in a body bag.”

“Come now, that’s no way to talk to your mother.”

“You stopped being my mother when you put the agency before me.”

He hears a gasp on the other end, followed by an exasperated sigh. “I still love you, Ben. And I miss you. If you come back and work for me, I can make this all go away. Even find a new life for this Rey girl, if that’s what you want.”

“I don’t want a leash. I said I was out.”

“You can’t just go AWOL and not expect consequences! Remember what happened to Luke? You and that  _ fucking _ Skywalker stubbornness.”

“Yeah I wonder where I get that from.”

“You have forty-eight hours, Ben. Then I’m sending an agent after you.” She hangs up before he can.

He stares at the phone for a second. “Love you, too, Mom.”

Rey is staring at him, jaw as open as it will go. “What. The. Fuck.”

“I know—it’s a lot.” God, this was not how he wanted to tell her. 

“You said you were ex-military. I thought you meant like the army.”

“Special ops. Then a little secret government agency work. I—didn’t like what they had me doing. We’re supposed to be the ‘good guys’ and the things I saw, Rey…” he trails off, staring at the dashboard. They’re still parked at the gas station, but haven’t gotten out of the car. “I wanted out, so I left. But you don’t just  _ leave _ the agency. I ran, I covered my tracks. I was mostly free of their ties by the time you found me.”

“Oh Ben, I’m sorry. I made things worse for you.” She looks as if she’s about to cry and he can’t stand it. 

“No, Rey. Come here.” He drags her over until she’s almost in his lap. It’s a little awkward, but he wants her to know how important she is. “As far as I’m concerned, you pulling that gun on me is one of the best things that’s happened. Now let’s go get some coffee.”

She clings to him and buries her head in his chest. It’s insane—how protective he feels of her already, like he’s known her forever. There’s just something there, like a thread being pulled taut, connecting them. “I’ve never cared about someone before, not like this. I just don’t want you to hate me, Ben.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s not possible.”

"Also... that was your _mother_?"

" _Yeah_ , that's another story for another time." He grimaces as they get out of the car.

* * *

He doesn’t have a plan. Before Rey, he was just going to drive around—be a perpetual nomad. Now it seems like they need a plan. His mother will have cleaned up his mess, but there’s no way she’s pulled the wanted ads down. Any help she can get in locating him, she will undoubtedly take.

Ben drives for hours, occasionally breaking the silence with a funny anecdote. Rey offers some stories about her childhood—ones that aren’t incredibly depressing. It’s clear that neither one of them has led an ideal life. He finds out that Rey knows things about cars, even doing some mechanic work for her horrible uncle while she was still in school. She can’t cook, though—which is fine, because he can. He allows himself to imagine settling down with her somewhere that no one would find them, where they can make a new life for themselves. He’s never felt like this before, never imagined being domestic with someone. But with her it just feels right.

They cross another state boundary before needing to stop for gas again. He thinks they may be able to take a chance on a hotel room tonight… if they’re careful. He tries not to stop at big chains whenever possible and the sad looking convenience store with a burned out light looks just their speed. He gives Rey a look. “Stay in the car.”

“But Ben—I need to stretch my legs, and pee, and get a soda. Come on, we’re at least two states away by now.” Her grasp on American geography is limited, but she’s right.

He looks around. There’s only one other car getting gas and no one around in the near vicinity. What can it hurt? “Okay, but here—” he fishes out a Corellia University baseball cap from behind the seat. “Wear this.”

Rey puts it on, having worn her hair down today. He can’t help the little thrill that runs through him seeing her in his things. Like she’s  _ his _ . She gives him a funny look. “What?”

“Nothing. I just like seeing you in my things.”

“Oh.” He swears she blushes a little before getting out of the car. 

In true overprotective fashion, Ben takes her by the arm as they walk into the convenience store. She wriggles until he drops his arm but laces her fingers through his instead. When he looks down she’s smiling at him.

“I like how protective you are.” She leans her head on his shoulder as they enter. 

In the interest of saving time, they agree to split up, but Ben whispers a quick, “Be a good girl for Daddy,” as she runs off towards the bathroom. He thinks he sees her shiver. This new dynamic to their relationship is a bit puzzling—but he doesn’t question it. He likes taking care of Rey, and if that turns her on? Even better.

Before long, they’ve gathered snacks and drinks and are preparing to pay at the counter. The lone worker, an old pudgy man with "Jabba" written on his name tag, hasn’t looked up from the small TV once since they came in. He’s distractedly bagging up their items when a news report comes on.  _ No, please no _ .

It’s a special bulletin with photos of both Ben and Rey, explaining that they are wanted for questioning regarding the death of a US Marshal. It doesn’t say anything further, but he watches as Jabba’s eyes widen with recognition. His hand that was going for their change reaches under the counter. “Don’t even think about it,” Ben growls.

Jabba looks up, the blood draining from his face. “I—you’re dangerous.”

_ No shit, Sherlock _ . “Gonna be a lot more dangerous for you if you push that goddamn button, so hands off.”

Rey has already grabbed their bag and is inching towards the door. She keeps her eyes on both men, though—ready to help if she’s needed.

Despite his size and age, Jabba moves with surprising speed, ditching the call button for a pistol that was stored behind the counter. “I can’t let you just leave.”

Ben sighs, as if he’s already bored by this encounter. “That, my friend, was a mistake.” He lunges over the counter, dodging the shot Jabba fires in fear. It sails through the front window, shattering it to pieces. He wrestles the weapon away from him easily and redirects the aim. Jabba is shaking now, a wet spot starting to grow in the front of his baggy jeans. “I’m sorry about this,” Ben mutters before hitting him hard with the butt of the gun.

Jabba falls to the floor unconscious.

He turns to look at Rey, who’s standing in the doorway. Her face has gone white and his eyes follow hers to where the large shard of glass is sticking out of her arm, just below her elbow. “Fuck, Rey. We gotta move.”

She nods and grips the piece, yanking it hard. Blood pools in its absence and starts running down her arm. “Ben!” She slaps her arm over the wound and searches him with her hazel eyes. 

“Shit, shit, shit.” He whips his head around and finds a roll of paper towels nearby on the counter. He grabs it and they run back to the car. “Keep applying pressure,” he tells her as he peels out of the parking lot. He didn’t even get to put gas in the car.

“I’m fine, Ben. Just drive.” She leans her head back against the headrest, arm elevated with a wad of paper towels pressed against the wound. 

He steals a glance to see how much of the white has turned red. It’s a considerable amount. They need to stop again soon, anyway. “Just hang on, Rey. We’ll be there in a few minutes.” Maybe a chain is the way to go, after all. They can just lose themselves in the sea of faces.

Ben gets back on the interstate only to get off at the next exit. He runs in to prepay for the gas this time, Rey agreeing to stay in the car. After pumping the gas, he pulls the truck around to the restrooms which are only accessible from the outside. He helps her into the single occupancy bathroom and locks the door behind them. It is dingy but not overly disgusting. It will have to do. “Up on the sink,” he orders.

Rey braces herself with her good arm and then he realizes what he’s asked. He lifts her with ease so he can take a look at her wound. She lets out a little squeal as he places her on the edge of the sink and gingerly peels back the paper towels. She squeezes her eyes shut. “How bad is it?”

“It’s deep, but not terrible.” He cleans the area and sterilizes it with some vodka he keeps on hand for moments like these. “Sorry,” he whispers when she winces. “Rey, I’m going to have to sew you up. Take a swig.”

She grabs the vodka from him and takes a deep gulp. “It’s fine. I trust you.” The earnestness in her eyes floors him.

Ben takes a needle and thread from the travel sewing kit and sterilizes that, too. “Ready, baby?”

She nods and he goes in. It’s not the first time he’s had to sew someone up—he much prefers working on someone else to himself. Still, he keeps his hands steady as he pulls the black thread through her skin, closing up the gash in her arm. He finishes as quickly as possible and is impressed by how well she’s done. He grabs the back of her head so he can place a kiss on her temple. “You did so well.”

“Thanks,” she murmurs. 

His thumb comes up to wipe at the wetness that’s gathered at the corner of her eyes. “You’re such a good girl.” Now that he has a chance to relax, now that she’s safe, he can feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins. He didn’t even think back at the other gas station—just let his reflexes take over to protect Rey.

She glances up and her eyes have darkened with lust as well. He places a hand over her heart to find it racing just like his. The next moment, his mouth is on hers, devouring her like a last meal. Her tongue finds his and he can taste the sour sugary candy she’s been munching in the car. They need to get back on the road, but he needs this—she needs it, too. He kisses down her neck and leans over to unbutton her jeans, careful to avoid her arm.

“You have to be a good girl and not make too much noise, okay, baby?”

He’s carefully shimmying her pants down as she replies, “Yes, Daddy.”

The words go straight to his cock, and he thinks he could burst from being so fucking turned on. She’s now naked from the waist down, perched on the edge of the sink and he spreads her thighs wide to get a glimpse of her glistening pussy. He can’t resist a taste.

“Fuck, Ben!” Rey bumps her head against the mirror as he nearly attacks her cunt with his mouth, licking generously through her folds before sucking obscenely on her clit. He knows this is just taking more time, but he really does love the taste of her—pure and salty and his. He moans into her as he continues, now using a zigzag pattern that she really appreciates if her fingernails on his scalp are any indication. Suddenly she yanks his hair  _ hard _ . “Need you, Daddy.”

He takes the hint and stands up, unzipping his pants to free his already weeping cock. He’s so hard for her, it’s insane. He lets his hands drift down her legs as he positions her just so before driving home with one sharp thrust. Rey gasps and he covers her mouth with his, hoping she can taste herself on his tongue—what she does to him.

She hooks her ankles behind him and it’s on. He’s pistoning into her so fast and hard, he’s not sure he could slow down if he wanted. “My good girl,” he murmurs, leaving open mouthed kisses down her cheek and jaw. “I’d do anything to protect you.”

Rey just moans her response as he hits her particularly deep. She must be just as turned on as he is, because he can feel her walls already starting to flutter. He brings his thumb back to her clit anyway, adding pressure as he slides in and out. “Come for Daddy,” he breathes against the shell of her ear.

Her head lolls back and he can tell she’s close, so he presses his hand over her mouth as she comes, preventing her cries from filling the tiny bathroom. He then moves his hand to the nape of her neck while he gives several more forceful thrusts and empties inside her. She is perfect, his Rey. He helps her dress and checks her arm again before they leave.

Once inside the truck, she sighs and rests her hand on his thigh. “Someday you’ll fuck me in a real bed.”

Ben lets out a stilted laugh. “One can only hope.”

* * *

They drive for a blissfully uneventful day, crossing another two state lines. Ben makes Rey happy when he opts for a slightly nicer hotel where the sheets are soft and he fucks her deep into the mattress. It the first time he’s been able to properly make love to her—he takes it nice and slow, relishing the way her fingers dig into his back as he pumps in and out at a torturous pace.

He makes her come twice before finally spilling inside her, thinking,  _ I just might love you _ . 

In the morning, Rey eats two waffles from the continental breakfast, and Ben watches her with rapt attention as he shovels cornflakes into his mouth. He’s never quite enjoyed watching someone eat this much. She has her hair in pigtails again and it strikes him as a strange juxtaposition—the way she is both innocence incarnate and a dangerous weapon. 

“What?” she mumbles around a bite, a drop of syrup at the corner of her mouth.

He shakes his head. “I just like looking at you.” He smiles and sips his coffee—it’s the happiest he’s been in a long time.

Her cheeks flush pink as she finishes up her food. They really can’t stay in one place too long.

When they get back on the road, Ben once again ponders where they could go. He’s only been thinking  _ just a little bit further _ each time they stop, but eventually they’ll run out of road—or into the Pacific, whichever comes first. The trees become thicker and the sky cloudier as the day rolls on. He’s not quite sure where they are, but it's beautiful.

Suddenly the truck makes a weird sound. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Rey says as she looks at him with wide eyes. He knows that she knows enough for this to be concerning.

He pulls over not a moment too soon. There’s smoke coming from underneath the hood. “Fuck.”

Rey ambles out to look inside and frowns when she looks at the engine. “Fuck is right.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for this chapter: pregnancy ideation.

Rey knows cars, so she knows that this is a disaster. The part they need will most likely have to be ordered, which could take several days— if there’s even a local shop to be found. She would suggest boosting a car, but from where? All she can see for miles is trees.

“How bad is it?” Ben asks, wrapping an arm around her waist. Ever since he had to sew her arm up, he’s not let her out of his sight. As if his watchful eye alone can protect her from danger.

She wishes she found his protectiveness cloying, but really it’s such a turn on—which is highly unusual for her, since she’s not used to being turned on at all. Maybe it’s just Ben. “Out of commission, I’m afraid.”

“Shit. Will we need to leave it?”

“For now. Let’s just walk and see if we can find anything nearby. If worst comes to worst, we can hot-wire a car.”

Ben gives her an incredulous look. “We can?”

“Well  _ I _ can.” She knows they’ve already broken so many laws by now, what’s one more?

They grab a few essentials from the truck and start walking down the road. The trees provide enough cover for it not to be hot, and pretty soon the dense foliage opens up as a large farmhouse comes into view. It’s white with red trim around the windows and a red door. There’s a couple of rocking chairs on the porch, and Rey thinks it must be an old couple’s retirement home.

As she’s thinking this, a young Asian woman walks out from the area that maybe used to be a barn but has now been converted into garage space. Now that they’ve grown closer, Rey can see a couple cars on lifts and the woman, clad in coveralls, wipes a smear of grease from her forehead. If anyone would be able to help, it would be her. “Ben, am I seeing a mirage?”

Ben points to a small wooden sign a little further up that says, “Tico’s Auto Repair.” He grins. “If you are, then I’m seeing the same one.”

The woman, for her part, looks completely nonplussed to see two strangers—one of whom is a rather looming presence—walking up the dirt path to her garage. “Can I help you?” she calls when they’re close enough to hear. 

“Hi, I’m Rey and this is Ben. Our truck broke down a couple miles down the road. I’m hoping you might be able to help?”

She smiles. “Looks like you broke down in the right place. I’m Rose Tico, owner and operator of Tico’s Auto Repair. My husband Finn does the books.” A slightly dirty hand is thrust toward Rey and she doesn’t hesitate to shake it. 

She instantly likes Rose. They talk about the make and model of the truck and the part needed while Ben watches awkwardly a few feet behind. As Rey suspected, the part needs to be ordered but Rose insists she has a connection and can get it within 48 hours. 

To save on the cost of repair, Rose agrees to let Rey put the part in herself. She also graciously offers to let them stay in the giant farmhouse with them. “My whole family used to own it, but when my parents passed it was just my sister and me for awhile. Then she died unexpectedly.”

“Oh no. I’m so sorry,” Rey says.

“Thanks. It was hard, but then I met Finn. He really saved me.”

“Or did we save each other?” Rey looks up to see a friendly dark skinned man coming down the porch steps. He’s smiling wide as he greets his wife with a kiss.

“Finn, I’d like you to meet Rey and Ben. Their truck broke down a couple miles up the road and they need a place to stay while we wait for the part.”

He eyes them both warily, giving Rey a warm smile, but narrowing his eyes at Ben. She’ll have to keep an eye on that. “Nice to meet you,” Ben says, sticking out his hand. 

Finn shakes it firmly for just a beat too long. “Likewise.”

They go inside and Rey is thankful to pee in a nice bathroom for a change. When she emerges, Rose is ready to show them to their room. The house is big—two stories with an attic and a basement. The master bedroom is on the first floor, so Rey and Ben will have some privacy in the guest room on the second floor. 

“So there’s fresh sheets on the bed and fresh towels in the linen closet there. Just holler if you need anything.” Rose bounces out of the room and back down to her garage to keep working. 

It’s only midday, probably a little past lunchtime, but Rey is exhausted. She kicks off her shoes and plops onto the double bed. It’s plush and comfy. Ben sits down beside her, sliding his arm around her shoulders. “I don’t like this, but I suppose we don’t have much of a choice.”

“They’re good people, Ben. I can tell.” She smiles softly.

“Yeah, but  _ we’re _ not.” He kisses her neck, gently. Not like he’s trying to start anything, just wanting to reassure her with his presence.

“I don’t believe that,” Rey mumbles. She knows what she’s done—what she had to do—and what Ben has done to protect her. It’s not that she thinks they should be rewarded, but… they don’t deserve to be punished either. In a perfect world, people like her uncle and Snoke wouldn’t have been able to get away with the things they’d done. In a perfect world, Ben wouldn’t have been forced into being a murderer.

“Well, I hope you have enough belief for both of us.”

They lay back, Ben holding her tightly to his chest. Sleep overtakes them quickly.

* * *

When Rey awakens, it’s to the cerulean glow of twilight and the smell of something utterly delicious. Ben is still sleeping, looking years younger without the weight of the world on his shoulders. She decides to leave him be and find out what the source of that mouthwatering aroma is.

She splashes some water on her face and changes her t-shirt—this one picked up from a convenience store, displaying the slogan “Nebraska: Honestly it’s not for everyone.” Then she pads downstairs barefoot, a smile working its way onto her face as she makes her way into the bright, open kitchen.

Finn is cooking—everything, by the looks of it. Rose is chopping vegetables while he sautees some kind of meat, and she thinks she sees rolls baking through the oven door. It’s a veritable feast. “Oh good, you’re awake!” Rose lights up when she sees her, and Rey imagines they don’t get many visitors.

“Yeah, exhausted from being on the road I guess.”

“Extended travel has that effect. Road trip?”

She nods. “My boyfriend Ben and I have always wanted to see the Pacific Northwest.”

“How long have you known Ben?” Finn pipes in as he flips over what looks like a pork chop.

Rey bites her lip. “Not that long, actually. But it feels like forever.”

Rose makes an “aww” sound which Finn rolls his eyes at. “He just seems… I don’t know, dangerous I guess.”

“He used to be in the military, so I can see that. But he’s a softy with me.”

It’s then that Ben chooses to come into the kitchen, stretching as he yawns so Rey catches the briefest flash of skin from under his shirt. “I’m only dangerous to anyone who messes with my girl.” He grabs Rey around the waist and kisses her cheek. “Something smells good.”

Rose is beaming again. “We hardly ever get visitors so I told Finn we had to pull out all the stops. He’s making his famous pork chops, and I’m doing vegetable skewers on the grill. There’s also rosemary garlic rolls in the oven.”

“Sounds delicious,” Rey says. “Do you need help with anything?”

“Nah, we’ve got it under control.” Finn gestures to the fridge. “Help yourselves to a beer or soda.”

Rey looks inside the fridge. To her surprise, most of the bottles are unlabeled. The rest are foreign imports. “Um, what kind of beer is this?”

“Oh it’s a pilsner. We brew our own. Since we converted most of the land from farm into an auto lot, it seemed like we should do  _ something _ self-sustaining. So we have a chicken coop and a brewery.” Rose laughs as she sticks one last onion onto her final skewer and heads for the side door to the heated grill out back.

Rey grabs two of the unlabeled bottles and uses the opener mounted on the wall next to the fridge. It’s a woman with her legs spread, the metal prying piece where her pussy would be. 

Finn comes up behind her. “Rose bought that for me as a gag gift. She laughs almost every time she opens a bottle.”

“She’s really one of a kind, isn’t she?”

“She is. When I first met her, she tazed me. Thought I was trying to jump her or something. She’s a spitfire for sure, but there was a deep well of pain from losing her sister. Slowly we opened up to each other and fell in love.”

Rey looks over at Ben who’s seemingly studying the grooves in the reclaimed wood dining table. “Isn’t it crazy how the right person can make you feel whole again?”

Finn nods and returns to his frying pan. “I like you, Rey.”

_ The feeling is mutual _ . She hands Ben a beer and he takes a long swig. “That’s good stuff.”

“Right? I think we broke down in the right place.”

Dinner is wonderful. Rey eats so much she thinks she can actually see her belly protruding slightly as she leans back in her chair. It makes her think about being pregnant—will she ever get to experience that? She thinks she’d like to have Ben’s children, if they were somewhere safe. She glances over to see Ben looking at her with adoration. Maybe he’s thinking about the same thing.

“Thank you for dinner. It was incredible.” Ben starts to get up and clear the dishes.

Rose sits up straighter. “You don’t have to do that.”

Rey stands, joining him. “Nonsense. You guys went through all this trouble. Cleaning up is the least we can do.” Ben washes the dishes—because despite the ridiculously large house, they don’t have a dishwasher—and Rey dries them, stacking them neatly on the counter. It’s nice to be domestic with him for a change and she starts to hope for a life she’s almost certain they can’t have.

After, they all retire to the back porch for another beer and some idle chit-chat. Ben seems to stay up to date on current events and sports, probably a habit from his spy days so he’ll always have a topic of conversation. While he manages to capture Finn’s attention, she talks cars with Rose. In another life, she could see them becoming the best of friends.

She’s not sure how it happens, but Finn gets Ben talking about his time in the military. “You know I went through basic training, too. Got injured before I could be shipped off, though. I’d like to see what you got.”

“Is that—what are you asking, exactly?” Ben cocks an eyebrow at Finn.

“I want you to fight with me. Come on, let’s go!” He stands up and moves out into the grass.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, honey,” Rose calls after him. Both men have had several beers at this point.

“Yeah, Ben. You don’t have to do this.” Rey looks at both of them, circling each other in the lawn.

“No, he wants to see my moves, so I’ll show him.”

Rey leans over and whispers to Rose, “You’ve got a first aid kit, I assume?”

Rose nods and turns her attention to Finn. The two men continue circling and jumping around each other for another minute before he throws the first punch. Ben swerves out of the way easily, a smirk suffusing his normally angry face. “You can do better!” he calls to Finn.

She can see that Ben is having fun—playing with him. It’s probably been a long time since he fought someone without severely high stakes. Finn comes at him again and Ben blocks the blow, swiveling around to face him again. Finn is fast, though, and before Ben can catch up, he lands a hit to his side. Ben grunts but shakes it off. His face turns more serious. He goes for a right hook which Finn ducks, but on the rebound, Ben gets him in the kidney. 

“Finn!” Rose yells as her husband doubles over in pain. 

He straightens almost instantly, and Rey thinks he might be overplaying it. “I’m fine,” he calls out just before running and knocking straight into a worried Ben, sending him to the ground.

Rey hears an “Oof!” from Ben as he falls, and she watches in awe as the two men start cracking up, rolling around on the ground. 

“That’s enough, knuckleheads.” Rose rushes over to help her inebriated husband, but Ben is already giving him a hand, both of them dusting themselves off.

“You’re alright, Ben,” Finn says as he takes his wife’s arm and follows her back inside.

“That was something else,” Rey says as they walk back into the house, arm in arm.

“He started it… and ended it.”

Rey laughs. “I think you need a shower, mister.”

They ascend the stairs and head straight into the bathroom. Rey starts lifting up his shirt the moment they’re inside. “Is your side okay?”

“It’ll probably bruise, but it’s nothing to worry about.” He cups her cheek. “Have I told you how amazing you are?”

She’s about to answer that no, no one’s ever told her that, but then he’s kissing her. He tastes like beer, but his lips are soft, his tongue hot and insistent as he pushes inside. She moans and breaks apart from him only to take her own shirt off and start the water. 

They fumble the rest of their clothes off and get under the spray of hot water. He mumbles, “I’m not sure I’m up for shower sex. I seem to always be fucking you in bathrooms.”

“That’s fine. Let’s get clean so we can get to the bed.”

He seems to forget his earlier words as he washes her, though. Rey sighs as his fingers massage her scalp, spreading the shampoo. It feels so good to have someone else do this for her—and Ben takes such good care of her. Once her hair is clean, he moves onto her body, massaging soap into her skin at a leisurely pace. He pays special attention to her breasts, her ass, and then her pussy.

Ben lets the soap rinse off his hands before he runs his fingers through her folds, circling her clit as she melts into him. He strokes and teases her until she’s on the brink, then thrusts two fingers inside her entrance. “Fuck me, Daddy,” she whines.

“Patience, baby,” he whispers back to her. He pumps into her steadily with his fingers, his thumb ever at her clit until she’s coming on his hand, her moans echoing off the shower tiles. “That’s one.”

She expects they’ll race to the bedroom, but Ben wraps her up in a fluffy towel and starts drying her off. She smiles up at him. “You enjoy taking care of me, don’t you?”

“I do.” He kisses her temple. “I know it hasn’t been that long, but I’ve never felt like this about another person before, Rey. I love you.”

Her heart stutters at his admission. She doesn’t even remember the last time someone said those words to her—had anyone ever? “I love you, too, Ben.” She tucks the towel in and presses up on her toes to kiss him.

When they finally stop for air, he lifts her up easily and carries her back to the bedroom. The towel drops to the floor and he orders her to bend over the foot of the bed before sliding into her from behind. His pace is quick and brutal and Rey fists the sheets for something to hold onto. This angle is new for them, and she can feel him hitting her more deeply inside. She grunts as her muscles squeeze around his length. “Oh god!”

“I think you can come again for Daddy, right?” His grip on her hips tightens.

“Yes, yes,” she pants, nodding her head at the same time.

“Good girl.” He kisses her spine, still pistoning into her, the soft sound of wet skin slapping the only thing she can hear. 

He lifts her ever so slightly off the mattress so his hand can find her clit again, rubbing tight circles. Then his thrusts slow to an agonizing speed. Rey whines.

“What do you want? I want to hear you say it. Say it, Rey.”

“Fuck me, Daddy,” she moans. 

“That’s my girl.” He picks back up, driving into her with gusto as his finger rubs at her bundle of nerves.

Rey barely has time to grunt as her orgasm overtakes her, fingers clenching the sheets as her walls clench around Ben’s cock. He holds her close as he slides out of her, wipes her off, and tucks them both into bed, nestling her against his chest. “I love you,” he murmurs as she’s almost asleep.

“I love you, too.”

* * *

The part comes in quickly, Rey and Rose laughing as they work together in the garage to install it. They drink diet soda and snack on beef jerky and listen to the oldies station on the radio—only “oldies” now apparently means songs from the late 70’s to early 00’s.

She’s feeling good after putting in a whole day’s work, grease smeared across her forehead and sweat dripping down her back as she walks back towards the farmhouse. It really is beautiful and she thinks under normal circumstances, maybe it would be nice to stay a bit longer. Rose and Finn have been so accommodating. It’s almost like having friends. Rey is smiling at the thought when she sees Finn waiting for her on the porch, a frown on his face.

“What’s up?” she asks.

“You get the part installed?”

“Yup!” Rey offers him a grin, but his stoic expression will not be moved. He hands her a newspaper, opened to an inner article. She thinks,  _ at least it’s not front page _ . It shows a picture of both her and Ben with a caption of “Wanted.”

“We get the newspaper daily.”

“Oh,” is all Rey can muster. She stares at the blurb underneath her picture, not really reading the words.

“Look. I _know_ the system is fucked up. Rose had issues with immigration for years, even though her mother was American. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been pulled over for doing nothing, so I get it. Not everything is always what it seems. But I had an instinct about Ben—and I like you both, but Rose comes first.”

Rey nods, knowing what inevitably comes next. “Okay.”

“The car should be up and running. I need you both gone by morning, if not sooner.”

“I understand.”

“Now, I’m not gonna show this to Rose. It would break her heart. I think she was wanting you to stay awhile.”

“Thank you, Finn.”

He nods and turns to go back into the house. Rey just stands there, fighting the urge to cry. She knew it wouldn’t last—good things never do. She stands there for at least ten minutes until Ben comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her. “We have to leave,” she tells him.

“I know.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know, I've changed the chapter count again. But this is the end of the plot. The next chapter will be an epilogue of sorts. Also sorry for the delay!

Ben knows Rey is sad to be leaving. He is, too. For a moment, it felt like being normal people—having a normal life. But they are not normal people, they’re criminals. There can be no normal life for them.

He throws the last of their meager belongings into the truck, which is running as good as it ever did now thanks to Rey and Rose. As he climbs in, he notes the forlorn expression on Rey’s face and leans over to kiss her cheek. All of this has been worth it, if only because it brought them together. He thinks if they can ever not be on the run—well, it’s best not to think of that until it’s a reality.

“What was that for?” she asks, grinning at him. 

“Because I love you… and because I know this has been hard. I liked being here, too.”

It’s still dark as they pull out of the dirt road, leaving a little puff of dust in their wake. As the sun starts to climb in the sky, he admires her in the early morning light. Her hair is up in three little buns and she’s wearing a hand-me-down shirt from Rose. It has an artistic rendering of a cassette tape on the front and rides up every so often, showing her midriff—mostly due to the five inch height difference between the two women. He’s not complaining, though.

They stop for gas and coffee once it’s fully light out and Ben realizes by the license plates of the other cars that they must be in Oregon by now. He figures they’ll head north, try to get across the border into Canada. If they can manage that, maybe they can hole up in a nice cabin somewhere—live off the land, stay off the grid. 

Rey is adding hazelnut creamer to her gas station coffee when he sidles up next to her at the counter. This gas station blessedly does not have a TV going, and he hasn’t seen their pictures on any of the papers so far. It’s nice to just be two travelers, getting their caffeine fix. “I like this,” he says, tapping her buns.

She smiles. “Thanks. I used to do my hair this way when I was younger, but I stopped for awhile, thinking it was too juvenile.”

Sometimes he forgets that she’s nearly ten years younger than he is. She carries around so much grace, wisdom, and general life experience that it makes her seem older. “It suits you.”

They get back in the car and Rey stretches out, putting her feet up on the dash. “So what’s the plan?”

“Stay alive, keep moving.”

“I’m serious, Ben.”

“Me too. Your safety is my number one priority. Beyond that, I’d like to try to get to Canada if we can. Then maybe we can truly disappear.” As he says this, he notices a black SUV appear in the rearview mirror. It’s still a good distance behind them, but it gives him an ominous feeling. “Shit.”

Rey follows his gaze and moves her feet back onto the floor, tightening her seatbelt. “Is it the agency?”

“Not sure yet. Don’t wanna find out.” He speeds up, taking the old truck as fast as it can go. He notices the SUV speeds up as well.  _ Fuck _ . He knew his mother wasn’t bluffing about sending someone after them—he just hopes it’s not the agent he thinks it is.

Ben doesn’t have an advantage here. He doesn’t know these roads. And neither of them carries a smartphone for obvious reasons. Still, he tries his best to out-maneuver the SUV with his driving skills. He exits the interstate and takes several winding roads lined with deciduous trees. Rey gasps when he takes one of the turns a little too fast and it seems like the truck might lift off the road for a moment.

It doesn’t, thankfully. But they are both on edge, his knuckles turning white on the wheel while she grips the side of the car with one hand and his upper thigh with the other. He drives like this for twenty minutes or so, till the SUV is no longer in sight. Then he gets back on the interstate.

“Do you think we lost him?” Rey asks cautiously.

“For now,” he responds. 

* * *

Ben drives and drives, still checking every few minutes for a pair of headlights behind them. Eventually they have to stop for gas, and Rey’s stomach is growling so loud it sounds like they have another passenger.

“Can we maybe hit up a drive-thru?” she pleads with her hazel puppy eyes.

How can he say ‘no’? “Sure, I think we should be okay for awhile.”

They grab some greasy burgers and fries and eat in the car as he gets back on the road. By the time the sun is rising again, they’re in Washington. Ben is exhausted, making conversation about anything just to stay awake.

Rey has blasted music, slapped him a few times, and even made up her own songs for him throughout the night. He can tell she’s wiped, too. She’s sipping her coffee and stifling a yawn when she turns to him. “We need sleep, Ben.”

“I know. I know we do. I’m just—”

She places a hand on his leg. “You have every reason to be paranoid, but whatever happens, we’ll handle it. We can’t keep going like this.”

She’s too good for him, really. “Okay. Let’s just go a little farther and I’ll find somewhere for us to sleep.”

It takes them another 40 minutes to reach a place where Ben feels comfortable enough to stop. There are signs for beaches now, so they must be close to the coast. He finds a motel with hourly rates in a seedy part of town and pays for four hours. “Ambitious, are we?” the bearded man at the counter quips.

“Oh, he can deliver. Trust me,” Rey says with a wink, and the man just huffs. God, he loves her so fucking much.

When they get inside the room, Ben locks every lock and props a chair up under the door handle just in case. Then they collapse onto the bed and fall promptly asleep.

Three hours later, Ben wakes with Rey snuggled against him. He can’t seem to let go of her even in sleep. “Are you hungry?”

“Always,” she mumbles.

“Okay. Freshen up if you want or just sleep till I get back. I’m gonna gas up the truck and grab us some food.”

Ben checks and rechecks the motel door several times before leaving. He doesn’t like leaving Rey alone, but they need to be back on the road as soon as possible. The gas station is his first stop, then he hits up a grocery store nearby. They should be putting more in their bodies than just junk. 

He’s perusing the fresh fruit selection when he notices a man in a dark coat come up beside him. “You’re hard to track down, Solo.”

_No_. She could have sent anyone, but it’s— “Dameron,” he says through gritted teeth. Poe Dameron, his former partner and occasional friend. They grew up together and then were reunited at the agency after separate military careers. He should have known that Leia would send him—after all, now that Ben’s gone, he is technically their best agent.

“I’ve missed you.”

Ben tosses a pair of peaches into his basket. “The fuck you have.”

Poe scowls. “We were friends once.” 

“That was a long time ago.”

“I don’t want to fight you, Ben.”

He throws a couple more items in his basket and goes to checkout. “Because you know you’ll lose?”

Dameron has the audacity to laugh. “Maybe. Just come back. Work for your mom again. What’s the big deal?”

The big deal is named Rey and is in a motel across the street. But he can’t say that to Poe. “I don’t feel like selling my soul for a paycheck… so offer not accepted.”

“Please, don’t act like your slate is clean. You’ve got more red in your ledger than I do at this point.” Poe follows him out of the store.

“Yes and that’s why I left! I’m tired of being a glorified mercenary in the name of God and country. It’s bullshit. The rewarding work was slim to none. You know half the time it was contract kills.”

“Taking out bad guys!” Poe gesticulates wildly as he says this, like he can’t believe his former partner.

Ben levels him with a glare. “And if I don’t come back with you,  _ I’m _ the bad guy. So what is she going to have you do to me? My own mother?”

Dameron pinches the bridge of his nose. “She’s confident you’ll make the right decision.”

Ben tosses the groceries into the truck. “Are we going to do this here?”

“Nah, too many civilians. You’ve got twenty-four hours to make a decision. Then I stop playing nice.” Poe claps him on the back and when Ben turns around, he’s gone.  _ Damn, he’s gotten good _ .

“Rey?” he calls as he enters the room again. He hears the shower running and breathes a sigh of relief. Dameron didn’t even mention her. Maybe he could cut a deal—Rey’s safety and amnesty for his return to the agency. Once she’s out and dressed, he tells her everything, including his plan to trade his employment for her safety. 

“Abso-fucking-lutely not!” Rey stands with her hands on her hips, giving him a stone cold glare. “We’re in this together, Ben. You said you loved me!”

He rises and goes to her, pulling her to him. “I do. I love you more than anything, that’s why I want to keep you safe.”

“I don’t give a shit about being safe if I’m not with you!” She slaps her palms to his chest and starts to cry against him.

He rubs soothing circles into her back. “Dameron gave us twenty-four hours. Let’s get a head start and I’ll deal with him when he catches up.”

* * *

Ben has been pondering his dilemma for the past 22 hours. Not all of those have been on the road. They had driven a few more hours north, but until they find a way to cross the border, there’s nowhere else to go. He checked them into a nicer hotel and they tried to sleep.

Now, he’s cruising down a nondescript highway, Rey’s hand on his thigh, looking at Canada through the passenger window. They could park the car and step right over the border, but border patrol would be on them in seconds. He thinks they might have a better chance in the woods, but first there’s Dameron to deal with.

It’s convenient that just as Ben’s thoughts wander to his former partner he sees the SUV speed up behind them. He keeps a steady speed, neither moving to pull over or accelerating. Suddenly, Poe shifts into the other lane with a burst of speed. He gets slightly ahead then veers over onto them.

“Fuck!” Ben cuts the wheel to avoid him hitting them and runs onto the shoulder, gravel kicking up behind them. “Stay in the car!” he warns Rey as he hops out to face Poe.

“Your time’s up, Benny boy. What’s it gonna be?” Dameron is loading his gun as he steps out of the vehicle, but before he can snap the clip into place, Ben knocks it out of his hand, sending both the gun and the clip into the grass.

“I can’t go back.”

“Then you leave me no choice.” Poe frowns as he throws the first punch.

Ben narrowly avoids his fist and counters with a move of his own, which Poe easily blocks. They circle each other for several minutes, offense and defense, throwing punches and deflecting—neither of them gaining the upper hand.

“You’ve gotten better,” Ben says. It used to be easier to get a hit in.

Dameron shrugs and throws his shoulder into it, following through to a right hook. It takes Ben a bit by surprise and his fist connects, splitting Ben’s lip open. He doesn’t even bother wiping the blood, but takes advantage of Poe’s momentary victory to land an uppercut to his jaw.

He grunts, stumbles backward and spits out some blood. Both men are sweaty, tiring, and still on their feet. This can’t end well. Ben starts to circle as Dameron regains his footing. “I’m not coming back with you. You’d better be willing to end it.”

“Trust me, buddy. I can end it.” Poe lunges towards him and a loud  _ BANG! _ resounds through the air. His eyes widen in shock as he pauses and looks down at his chest. 

Blood trickles out of a small wound, near the vicinity of his heart but just a bit too far north. He falls to his knees. Ben turns to see Rey, holding Poe’s gun, her hands shaking. He can’t believe she took the shot, especially not having handled a gun before. “Nice shot.”

“I was aiming for his head.” She hands the gun to Ben, rushing to his side.

Ben kneels in the grass beside Poe. “Hey man, I don’t think it’s fatal. You might be okay.” He cocks the gun again and points it at his former partner’s head. “But not if I shoot you here.”

“Solo—” he struggles to get out a sentence.

“Tell her I’m dead. You had to kill me because I wouldn’t come back. Then I’ll let you live.”

“She’ll… want proof.”

Ben thinks for a second. “I can give you that…  _ If _ you call in a favor for me at the border.”

Poe nods, coughing a little. “Deal.”

“And I’m keeping this,” Ben says, waving the gun in front of him. He puts the safety back on and tucks it into the waistband of his jeans.

He stays neutral as he walks back to the truck and fishes out his sharpest hunting knife. Rey stares at him. “Ben, what are you—”

“You gotta do it, Rey. For us. Cut my finger off.”

Her face is incredulous. “What?! No! I’m  _ not _ doing that.”

“Poe needs proof I’m dead. We’re gonna give him that.” He says it like it's the most logical conclusion in the world.

“I can’t. Ben, please. There has to be another way.”

“Fine. I’ll do it myself.” He raises the knife.

“Wait!” Rey touches his arm. “I can do it.”

_ Good _ , he thinks. He really wouldn’t have been able to do it himself. “Just the left pinky.” He splays his fingers as wide as he can on the hood of the truck.

Rey winces, but takes the knife. She sets it down momentarily to unbuckle his belt and slide it out. If this wasn’t a life and death situation, he might be turned on. “Bite down on this,” she says, easing the leather into his mouth.

Ben does as he’s told and looks skyward so he doesn’t have to watch as Rey lifts the knife and slices it through the air until he hears it clang on the metal hood of the car. Only then does he look, but—he doesn’t register the pain at first. He sees his pinky, rolling down. Sees Rey catch it and grab a spare t-shirt out of the car. She rips it in half and hands him one piece to staunch the bleeding where his finger used to be.

He watches her wrap up his pinky and toss it onto Poe’s chest. She mutters, “You can call for help once we’re on the road.” Then she looks at back at him. “Get in. I’m driving.”

Rey drives them to another gas station and fixes him up in the bathroom. It’s almost comical how many times they’ve fixed each other up by now. He can live without a finger. But he can’t live without her. 

They leave the truck behind in the woods of northern Washington and hike the rest of the way on foot in the early morning hours. There’s not even a fence on this part of the border and if Poe keeps his promise, they’ll be home free in about 20 feet.

Ben takes Rey’s hand and they step over into Canada together.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the epilogue--hope you enjoy! Also here's the [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/52EHwyQj2D1O8r0c1F8C7g?si=D5x4FWgcS62wuE3y2KWPDA) for this fic, if you'd like to take a listen.
> 
> cw: mentions of pregnancy.

“Who’s pussy is this?” Ben grunts as his hips pound into Rey, the slick sound of skin on skin filling their small cabin.

“Yours, Daddy. Only yours.”

“Fuck. That’s right, baby. Such a good girl for Daddy. You take my cock so well.”

Rey moans, the dirty talk sending her ever closer to that pleasurable peak. She squeezes Ben’s ass for good measure as he drives deep inside her. The soft bear rug she’s lying on tickles her skin. “Please,” she murmurs, unsure of what exactly she’s asking for.

His lips find the juncture of her neck and shoulder and suck on her there, bruising her delicate skin. He can mark her up all he wants as the only person who sees them is the man who comes once a month to deliver their supplies, Mitaka. “I’ve got you,” he says as a bead of sweat drips from his brow onto her collarbone. The fire roars beside them, casting a glow on their naked bodies.

Rey’s toes curl as his fingers press down on her clit, speeding along her impending orgasm. “Daddy!” she screams as she comes hard, muscles gripping him for dear life as he fucks her through it.

They can be as loud as they want, no humans around for miles. The bears might wonder what’s going on, but that’s just fine. Ben smirks with his last few thrusts, clearly enjoying the way she writhes beneath him, like she’s going to combust. He kisses her again as he comes hips stuttering and stilling against her while he pumps her full of his spend.

After, he rolls over, trying to catch his breath. “Fuck, I love you, Rey. I love this. Us.”

She props herself up on her elbow and strokes his chest. “Me too. I was thinking, maybe I get my implant taken out soon—”

“You’re serious?” He looks at her with trepidation.

“Why not? We’re safe here. It’s been nearly a year and no one’s come sniffing. I want a family with you, Ben.”

“You don’t want to just hunt and fish and fuck forever?” He chuckles a little. She knows he’s been wanting this, too.

“As nice as it is—and it is  _ very _ nice—I do think I want more. Raise a little survivalist or two to help us build our wilderness empire.”

He smiles and she melts a little more. Every time she thinks she’s used to life with this man, he makes her fall even harder. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

“Okay I’ll make an appointment in town.”

They don’t have a phone, or internet. It’s just the two of them, the land they live on, and a cabin full of books and board games. Mitaka comes once a month on a schedule to bring things like paper goods, cleaning supplies, and Diet Coke for Rey. Most of their food consists of things they hunt and grow, supplemented with items from the monthly visits.

It’s a simple existence, but it makes both of them happy. They have one vehicle that Ben paid for in cash and Rey does all the maintenance on. They only drive into town when absolutely necessary, like for medical check ups under their assumed names.

Rey sighs, pulling on her long nightgown so they can go to bed. When it’s cold out, she wears weather appropriate clothing, but during the summer they stay naked as much as possible. Ben has come to love the summertime.

* * *

**One year later.**

A baby makes things a little bit harder. Rey doesn’t go on the hunts with Ben anymore as she has to breastfeed and look after baby Han. He looks just like his daddy, except he has her eyes. She plans to teach him about cars and show him how to properly skin elk one day, but for now she just wants him to stop crying.

She paces around the bear rug, jostling him up and down while she hums a little tune. It’s delivery day and Mitaka should be here soon. Hopefully Ben will be back from his morning hunt by then. She hears the tires on the gravel path, just as Ben comes through the back door.

“I got us a deer, a nice meaty one.”

“Wonderful,” she mostly whispers as Han has just fallen asleep.

Ben comes over and kisses them both, taking care not to wake the baby. They all shuffle outside to greet Mitaka, who waves as he disembarks from the Jeep. “Kira, Kylo, baby Han,” he greets them.

“Got a good haul for us?” Ben walks towards the Jeep, pushing up the sleeves of his flannel shirt.

“Yeah, also a package.” He hands him a parcel wrapped in brown paper.

“A package?” Ben looks down at the box, addressed to Kylo Ren, care of Mitaka. 

Rey rubs circles into Han’s back even as a chill runs through her. “Who’s it from?”

He rips the paper open and pulls out a couple onesies and baby toys. They have dragons and knights on them, and they’re adorable—but there’s only one person who could know where and why to send them. Ben also produces a card which he opens and reads aloud. 

“Dear Benjamin, you probably haven't heard that I am retiring this year. Sorry for being such a shitty mother. Please give these to my grandson and give your wife a kiss for me. Love, Mom.”

“Ben?” Rey asks with concern.

“I don’t—I don’t know what to do with this right now.” He brings the package inside and helps Mitaka unload the rest of the supplies.

If Leia knows where they are, then she must have known this whole time. Which means, she let them go. Rey knows her husband is upset, but this could be a good thing. Maybe they can reconcile and their son will get to know his grandmother. “I’m going to go put Han down for his nap,” she calls as she goes back into the cabin.

* * *

It takes another six months, but Ben finally agrees to send a letter to the return address on the package. Leia arrives in less than a week. She stands awkwardly on their porch, bundled up in a white, pristine pantsuit. An odd choice for the forest.

“I hope you brought more practical clothes,” Ben warns her, wiping his hands clean with a rag. It’s only 10:00am but he’s already had breakfast and completed his morning hunt. They have enough meat for a few weeks now, so he can spend some quality time with his mother.

“Of course I did. I’ve been through wilderness training,” she insists.

Ben takes her bags and carries them inside. They don’t have a spare bedroom now that the guest room has been turned into Han’s nursery, but the pullout couch will have to work. Rey watches all of this unfold from her spot on the floor, where her son is crawling around and playing with his toys. He’s been pulling himself up on things more and more. They’re sure he’s going to start walking any day now.

Leia notices him and gets a wistful look in her eyes. “Is this—?”

“Baby Han,” Rey supplies. “Ben wanted to name him after his father. Is that—weird, for you?”

“No, it’s perfect.” She lowers herself on the floor to sit beside them and just watch.

Ben settles his lumbering form onto the couch. “Well, this is fucking awkward.”

Leia looks at him and sighs before carefully getting up from the floor. “All my fault, I know. I wanted you back so badly, I didn’t think about what it would cost.” She hesitates for a moment before putting her hand on his left one—the one with only four fingers. “Did you really think that would convince me? You know Skywalkers are notorious for losing limbs.”

Ben hangs his head, but Rey can see the beginnings of a smile forming. “I guess, I was desperate and I was hoping—”

“Poe had to be on medical leave for months. You really fucked him over.”

“Ah—that was Rey, actually.”

Leia looks to her with something like pride, which is weird considering she’s a criminal and shot her best agent. “Damn. We could’ve used a girl like you.”

“ _ Mother _ ,” Ben cautions.

“Right. Well, I’m done with all that, Ben. I want my son back in my life and I’d like to get to know your boy… if that’s okay with you.”

She is still standing while he sits, which is probably the only time he’ll ever look up to meet her gaze. Rey can see the unshed tears glistening in his eyes—for all of his pure strength and bravado, Ben has always cried easily. He nods and Leia wraps him in an embrace, letting her own tears fall.

“Come on, Han. Let’s go look for rabbits.” She picks him up and takes him outside, letting mother and son have their reunion.

Later, they feast on fish freshly caught from the stream, along with potatoes and carrots that Rey grew on the property. The meal is finished with a cake Leia brought with her from the town. She makes a pot of coffee while Han bounces on his grandmother’s lap.

Rey turns and watches the scene while the coffee is percolating. Ben is smiling more than he has in a while, and Leia is regaling them with a story from her youth, while baby Han plays with her sleeves. There was a long time where she never believed she would get to experience a life like this—normal, happy, healthy.

As they fall asleep that night, her head on her husband’s chest, Rey is truly content. “I love you, Ben.”

He strokes her hair and kisses her head. “I love you, too.”

She smiles and falls asleep quickly, eager to find what a new day will bring for their little family.


End file.
